Sodium!

merrillfoster
merrillfoster Posts: 855 Member
edited September 23 in Food and Nutrition
Ok, so I've been trying to be careful with my sodium intake, and have realized that there is sodium in like EVERYTHING except straight veggies/fruit! Ack! Even 'low' sodium things have a ton of sodium! How do I lower my intake when it's in EVERYTHING?

Replies

  • Nelski
    Nelski Posts: 1,607 Member
    Eat more whole foods and not processed ones. Cook your own meat and if you want to season use minimal salt and a bunch of other seasonings. Make you own dressings. Eat nut butters that say nuts only in the ingredients. Make your own soups, chilis, beans, sauces, etc. You need to be in control of how much salt goes into everything if you really want to watch your sodium intake.
  • jojoworks
    jojoworks Posts: 315 Member
    as much as possible reduce the amount of processed foods you eat (anything packaged or in a box or altered in anyway)
    as much as possible make your own food, including salad dressings
    as much as possible don't salt your food, find other herbs and seasonings (but avoid some prepackaged seasoning blends, they'll possibly be loaded with sodium)
    read the labels on the food you're considering buying, it'll open your eyes!

    drink LOTS of water!
    eat more potassium.....reading lately has suggested you need a balance of potassium and sodium and our normal diets are too loaded with sodium

    good luck! I'm working on this too
  • JillyBean819
    JillyBean819 Posts: 313 Member
    While shopping I always look at two things...calories & sodium.

    The amount of sodium in pre-packaged foods is absolutely horrendous. It's very frustrating when "diet" foods (Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice) have enough sodium in them to suck the moisture out of Florida on a humid day. You open the package and poof! Florida is now a desert.
  • millermichellelea
    millermichellelea Posts: 226
    While shopping I always look at two things...calories & sodium.

    The amount of sodium in pre-packaged foods is absolutely horrendous. It's very frustrating when "diet" foods (Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice) have enough sodium in them to suck the moisture out of Florida on a humid day. You open the package and poof! Florida is now a desert.

    I giggled out loud at that one - ha ha ---thanks I needed that :laugh:
  • kaymd
    kaymd Posts: 470 Member
    While shopping I always look at two things...calories & sodium.
    I do the same thing :happy:
  • ♥Violette♥4Ever♥
    ♥Violette♥4Ever♥ Posts: 457 Member
    as much as possible reduce the amount of processed foods you eat (anything packaged or in a box or altered in anyway)
    as much as possible make your own food, including salad dressings
    as much as possible don't salt your food, find other herbs and seasonings (but avoid some prepackaged seasoning blends, they'll possibly be loaded with sodium)
    read the labels on the food you're considering buying, it'll open your eyes!

    drink LOTS of water!
    eat more potassium.....reading lately has suggested you need a balance of potassium and sodium and our normal diets are too loaded with sodium

    good luck! I'm working on this too

    What if you don't cook, don't know how to cook....like me...and you rely on boxed/canned foods?
  • jojoworks
    jojoworks Posts: 315 Member
    as much as possible reduce the amount of processed foods you eat (anything packaged or in a box or altered in anyway)
    as much as possible make your own food, including salad dressings
    as much as possible don't salt your food, find other herbs and seasonings (but avoid some prepackaged seasoning blends, they'll possibly be loaded with sodium)
    read the labels on the food you're considering buying, it'll open your eyes!

    drink LOTS of water!
    eat more potassium.....reading lately has suggested you need a balance of potassium and sodium and our normal diets are too loaded with sodium

    good luck! I'm working on this too

    What if you don't cook, don't know how to cook....like me...and you rely on boxed/canned foods?

    I guess I would urge you to:
    1) read labels judiciously with the goal in mind to make choices as sodium healthy as possible
    2) start making small steps towards making some of your own foods
    3) base as much of your diet as you can on fresh fruits and veggies and fresh meats you can use in making your own meals
    4) when grocery shopping try as much as possible to shop around the fresh perimeters and as little as possible in the aisles where the packaged processed foods are.

    This is all a process, it can't all happen at once. Reading, absorbing information is a great start. Increasing your knowledge and understanding will go a long ways towards making better choices in the grocery store and at the restaurant.

    good luck!
  • skinnywithin
    skinnywithin Posts: 1,392 Member
    but the hungry girl cook book!!!!! its all about low calorie meals and easy to prepare.
  • Nelski
    Nelski Posts: 1,607 Member

    What if you don't cook, don't know how to cook....like me...and you rely on boxed/canned foods?

    Then, unfortunately you are very unlimited. Do your best to look for low sodium options to those foods. Eat fresh fruits and veggies on the side, drink tons of water. There are many things that you can cook that aren't very difficult, don't be afraid to give it a try.
  • hpsnickers1
    hpsnickers1 Posts: 2,783 Member
    Just read it today while looking for info on the potassium/sodium connection. Americans get 75% of their daily sodium from processed foods.
  • goldilocks007
    goldilocks007 Posts: 107
    Sodium is a preservative and processed foods are going to have them. I can not stress enough read the labels. I do some cooking for myself, but I have found that Trader Joes and Whole Foods have great selection of no added salt items in their store (some prepared, and some basics for cooking at home). There are a few healthy choice meals and Amy's has a frozen food line light in sodium that have prepared meals under 400mg's for a serving. I feel as if I am eating much healthier, as a default, when I work to decrease my sodium level. Also play around with spices. Adding a tiny bit of jalapeno pepper to food I make make it spicy, so I don't miss the salt any more. I do also like Mrs Dash. Hope this helps, I have been working to lower my sodium for over a year, and I continue to learn more and more as time goes on.
  • 35again
    35again Posts: 46 Member
    I've read of the potassium / sodium connection too. I think a problem with potassium is its one of the nutrients that companies aren't Required to list on the nutrition panel. It doesn't mean a food doesn't have any, but since there isn't any information its hard to track how much you're getting in a day compared to sodium.
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